Category Archives: Radio Questions

It depends on the frequencies and the DPLs. If they are common frequencies, there should be no problem, but the Motorola CP200 2-way radios has certain DPL (private digital line) squelch codes that the BPR40 2-way radio will not support. An example would be DPL number code 212 is supported on the CP200 but not the BPR40 at this time.

For the most part, the frequencies inside a CP200 can be programmed into a BPR40 a majority of the time. When in doubt check with your local Motorola dealer.

First some terminology, the radio with the proper information is called the “master radio” and the other radio that will be cloned to is called the “slave radio“.

It might be a good idea to place a small sticker on the master radio since it’s very easily to forget when cloning a lot of radios which is the master radio and which is the slave radio. The part number for the Motorola Cloning cable is PMDN4060.

BPR40 Programming Button

Make sure both radios are off.

Starting with the master radio

1. Turn off the radio if it’s on2. Now for the tricky part, press and hold the programmable button #1, this is the top programmable button and turn on the radio. Keep pressing the programmable button until you hear two beeps, usually about 1 to 2 seconds.3. Release the programmable button, you should notice that the LED in front of the radio is now either red or orange, not flashing green or green.

Moving to the slave radio

1. Turn off the radio if it’s on2. Press and hold the same programmable button #1, this is the top programmable button and turned on the radio.3. Keep the programmable button press until two beeps are heard, just like above, but keep pressing that button until three more beeps are heard.4. Release the programming button, you should notice that the LED will turn green.

The cloning process

1. Connect the cloning cable to both the master and slave radios using the smaller Jack on the right-hand side of the radio.2. Press and release the programming button #1 of the slave radio.3. Within two seconds (very important), press and release the programming button #1 on the master radio.4. The LED on both radios will flash orange doing the cloning process.5. When both radios are complete, you will hear a chirping sound on both radios.6. Disconnect the cloning cable from both radios.7. Turn off both radios and turn them back on again.8. Check to see if the cloning process was successful by talking into the master radio and see if the slave radio breaks squelch.

PL stands for private line; it is a sub audio signal that becomes part of the radio transmission, from radio to radio. In the past technology used was called carrier squelch; this meant that unless another radio was transmitting on the same frequency, your radio would not break squelch, in other words, the speaker comes on.

As more and more people started using two-way radios, people started to listen to others on the same frequency. By adding PL to your frequency the radio must now be programmed for the same frequency and the same PL code. This helps reduce but not eliminate you listening to someone else’s conversation.

By no means does PL make your conversation secure; it just merely mutes the speaker so no sound comes out until both conditions are true (same frequency and same PL). DPL, digital private line works on the same concept as PL, but it’s digital. They both work pretty much alike.

Again, it’s important to remember that neither technology PL nor DPL will make your conversation secure, all one needs to do is press the monitor button on the radio to hear everyone on that frequency, regardless of PL or DPL.

Not even close, the best you’re going to get is about half a mile to a mile before you get static. These radios put out very little power, but it’s not the power that prevents the radio from talking further, it’s all the obstacles, the trees, the buildings, the people, even the weather.

You can actually have a conversation with someone on the moon if there was nothing in the way and very little power would be required. They can advertise this by using the term “ideal conditions”. Unfortunately we do not live in a world that has the ideal conditions for these radios to provide even close to the advertised maximum range.

Again to be crystal clear, you will get half a mile before you start running into static.

That antenna was specifically made for a CP200 radio, using that antenna on another radio like the BPR40, will run the risk of burning out the power amplifier. It’s not a question of “if”, but of “when” the power amplifier will burn out. Use only the antenna that was specifically designed for the BPR40.

This also includes many generic and aftermarket antennas which are just not specifically tuned to interact properly with the BPR40 radio. This is a perfectly good example of buyer beware when buying generics.

Yes I can see where that can be quite annoying, the old Motorola CP200 radios did not have that option. You will need to take your radio back to the dealer and have them reprogram the radio to omit this tone using the Radio Service Software (RSS). This setting is under the general option setting and applies to the entire radio.

The options are:
– no tone whatsoever
– tone only for analog channels
– tone only for digital channels.

Many people have complain about this and the first thing we do is make sure the setting is set to “No tones” whatsoever.

Search the FAQs

In a nutshell if you do not have a current 2-way radio system, we would recommend UHF over VHF. First some basics: VHF – VHF stands for very high frequency. VHF signals occupy the low end of the frequency spectrum, usually from 89.00 MHz to 216.00 MHz. The very first wireless transmissions were made from Continue Reading…

Two-way Radio Codes Because two-way radios or walkie-talkies operate in half duplex mode, you cannot speak and listen at the same time, radio codes were invented to keep the conversation short and to the point. === Common List of 2-Way Radio Codes 10-1 Receiving Poorly 10-2 Receiving Well 10-3 Disregard Last Information 10-4 O.K., Message Continue Reading…

Yes I can see where that can be quite annoying, the old Motorola CP200 radios did not have that option. You will need to take your radio back to the dealer and have them reprogram the radio to omit this tone using the Radio Service Software (RSS). This setting is under the general option setting Continue Reading…

Not even close, the best you’re going to get is about half a mile to a mile before you get static. These radios put out very little power, but it’s not the power that prevents the radio from talking further, it’s all the obstacles, the trees, the buildings, the people, even the weather. You can Continue Reading…

These are the part numbers for the Motorola original accessories radio programming cables. BRP40 Radio programming cable is PMDN4043 and uses a com computer port. CP110 Radio programming cable is RKN4155 and uses a usb computer port. CP185 Radio programming cable is PMDN4077 and uses a usb computer port. CP200 Radio programming cable is AAPMKN4004 Continue Reading…

First some terminology, the radio with the proper information is called the “master radio” and the other radio that will be cloned to is called the “slave radio“. It might be a good idea to place a small sticker on the master radio since it’s very easily to forget when cloning a lot of radios Continue Reading…

It depends on the frequencies and the DPLs. If they are common frequencies, there should be no problem, but the Motorola CP200 2-way radios has certain DPL (private digital line) squelch codes that the BPR40 2-way radio will not support. An example would be DPL number code 212 is supported on the CP200 but not Continue Reading…